YOGA FOR LIFE: WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

YOGA FOR LIFE

BY

NANCY DALE

“YOGA PRACTICE FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT”

Oct 30 2017

Each day we have the opportunity to re-evaluate our present reality, create new goals, transmute negative, self-defeating habit patterns. such as overindulging in food, into a healthy lifestyle.  Sometimes life presents us with challenges that makes us realize we need to reinvent ourselves. We begin by taking an inventory of our mental/emotional/physical consciousness.  We may realize that an emotional state, grief, loss turned our pain into seeking relief from food, alcohol or drugs.  However, the good news is that if we are breathing we are alive and with awakened consciousness we can create a new philosophy and action to move forward we just have to begin it!  So let’s turn our attention for weight and pain management over to a healthy Yoga practice.

“Fighting fat” through a Yoga practice does grab our attention as we learn certain postures to increase fat burning.  Throwing out the Yoga mat everyday for 15 minutes is a positive beginning in breaking our food addictions and works towards tightening up the muscles, burning fat and feeling more fit.  Lifestyle changes begin in the mind and are transmitted as energy throughout the body.  Before you know it, you begin to reflect a new “you” in mind and body with continuous practice.

There are a number of specific Yoga postures that induce the body to burn fat.  These postures emphasize slow movement and holding the form as long as possible with concentration, deep inhales and exhales moving in and out of poses.

LET’S BEGIN WITH “WARRIOR TWO” POSTURE:

Stand in “Tadassana” which means standing with feet shoulder width apart, directly aligned with the outer edge of the hip, taking a deep breath then stepping or jumping the legs widely apart, extended out on each side.  Be sure to keep the back long and straight over the hips.  Keep the toes of the feet pointed forward.  Keep widening the legs to lengthen the inner thighs.  Next, extend the arms out to the sides even with the shoulders.  As your feel the breath extend into he fingertips, note the “vibratory frequency” as the fingers come alive and strong to the very tips.  Hold this posture in the beginning for three minutes then bend the right knee over the ankle, (not a runners pose, to avoid injury) and turn the head to the right over the shoulder.  Walk the back food back as far as comfortable. Keep the heel of the bent knee leg in alignment with the arch of the back foot and turn the back foot into a slight angle towards the other leg.  You can find a picture of Warrior Pose on the internet to assist you in aligning your posture.  Hold this pose for 3 minutes then turn the feet inward, step or jump together.  Repeat Warrior pose 5 times and hold each time for 3 minutes. You will be surprised at how this simple posture will take “your breath away” and eventually the fat.

Now you know what it feels like to be a Warrior,” so stay with your new practice and you will gradually feel and see changes in the mental/physical body.  Enjoy the new you!